Wheel.



Patented Jan. 22', mm. P. F. VAUGHAN.

W H E E L {Application filed June 25, 1 900.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

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Patented Jan. 22, l90l.

F. P. VAUGHAN.

W H E E L.

(Application filed June 25, 1900.;

2 Sheets-Shoat 2.

(No Model.)

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WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 666,338, dated January22, 1901.

Application filed Tune 25, 1900. Serial No. 21,501. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK P.VAUGHAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Perry, in the county of Noble, Oklahoma Territory, haveinvented a new and useful Wheel, of which the following is aspecification.

The invention relates to improvements in wheels.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction ofball bearing wheels and to provide a simple and comparativelyinexpensive one designed for use on all kinds of vehicles, conveyances,machines, and the like and capable of reducing the friction resultingfrom supporting a great weight to a minimum.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of a wheelconstructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a verticalsectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail viewillustrating the construction of the rim or outer portion of the Wheel.Fig. t is a detail view of the hubsection of the wheel.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

l designates a hub-section provided with a central rectangular opening2, adapted to receive the squared portion 8 of an axle 4, whereby thewheel is rigidly connected with the said axle; but any other suitablemeans may be employed for fixing the hub-section to the axle. Thehub-section is provided with a series of spoke-sockets 5 for thereception of the inner end 6 of spokes 7, which are provided at theirouter ends with tenons 8, fitting in mortises of an inner bearing-ring9, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings; butthe spokes may be formed integral with the hub-section and the innerbearing-ring or may be constructed in any desired manner to provide atraction or carrying wheel of any character.

The improvements are designed to be applied to the carrying-wheels ofall kinds of vehicles, conveyances, and machines, and in order to reduceto a minimum the friction resulting from the Weight to be supported anannular series of antifriction-balls 10 are interposed between the innerbearing-ring and an outer bearing ring or rim 11, the outer face ofwhich forms the tread of the wheel.

The inner bearing-ring is provided at the center of its outer peripheralface with an approximately semicircular bearing-rib 12, extendingentirely around the bearing-ring and presenting a rounded or convexbearingface and located equidistant of the side faces of the innerbearing-ring, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3 of the accompanyingdrawings. The hearing-rib 12 may be formed integral with the innerbearing-ring, or it may be constructed separate therefrom, and the outerbearing ring or rim is provided at its inner face with a similar-shapedrib 13, located equidistant of the side faces of the ring or rim andpresenting a convex or rounded bearing-surface to the balls 10. The.hearing ring or rim 11 is supported by sides 14, located at oppositesides of the wheel and provided at their inner faces with roundedbearing-ribs 15, approximately semicircular in crosssection and arrangedat opposite sides of the series of balls, as shown in Fig. 3. Byproviding the rounded bearing-ribs at the four sides of the balls, asillustrated in Fig. 3, the contact of the balls with the inner and outerportions of the wheel is reduced to a minimum and is substantially onlyapoint.

The sides of the wheel may consist of disks; but in order to lighten theconstruction they may be composed of outer-side plates or rings, innerannular plates or rings 16, and connecting portions or spokes 17, asclearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The outer annular plates are secured bytransverse fastening devices 18 in recesses 19 of the outer ring or rim,and they close the outer bearing and are adapted to exclude dusttherefrom. A continuous annular series of main balls 10 may be providedat the outer bearing, or the balls may be separated into sets of one ormore by partitions 20,extending across the space between the sideplates, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. By recessing the side facesof the outer bearing rim or ring a broad tread is portion.

to the axle, is composed of the hub, the inner provided and the sideplates are prevented from coming in contact with the supportingsurfaceor tread.

In order to reduce the friction further,antifriction-balls 21 and 22 arearranged at the center and rim or outer portion of the wheel, at theside faces of the inner bearing-ring, and at the ends of the hub, andthey are interposed between the inner or body portion of the wheel andthe outer portion, which is adapted to move independently of the innerThe inner portion, which is fixed bearing-ring,and theconnecting-spokes,while the outer portion comprises the sides and therim or outer bearing-ring. The inner balls 21 are mounted in suitablerecesses and project through apertures 23 of plates 24, which aresecured to the ends of the hub, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 4, andany number of these antifriction-balls may be employed. The outerantifriction -balls 22, which are mounted in a similar manner, arearranged in sockets or recesses 25 of the inner bearingring and projectthrough apertures 26 of plates 27, secured to the side faces of theinner bearing-ring. The inner and outersupplemental bearing-ballsreceive the innerand outer annular portions of the sides and enable thesame to rotate frictionlessly around the inner fixed supporting portionof the wheel.

It will be seen that the wheel is exceedingly simple and inexpensive inconstruction, that it is applicable to all kinds of Vehiclewheels andcarrying-wheels of other con veyances and machines, and that byproviding bearings contacting only at four points with the mainsupporting-balls the friction is reduced to a minimum. out that thesides, which are connected with the rim or outer bearing-ring, close thesides of the bearings and may consist of continuous disks or ofopen-work to lighten the construction.

What I claim is 1. A wheel comprising an inner portion provided with aninner bearing-ring having an exterior bearing-rib located at the centerof its outer periphery and presenting a convex bearing-face, an outerbearing-ring provided at its inner face with a corresponding roundedbearing-rib, located opposite the said bearingrib, sides provided attheir inner faces with bearing-ribs having convex bearing-faces,and

It will also be apparballs interposed between the inner and outerbearing-rings and contacting with the said bearing-ribs, whereby thefriction is reduced to a minimum, substantially as described.

2. A wheel comprising an inner portion provided with an innerbearing-ring having a bearing-rib presenting a rounded or convexbearing-face, an outer bearing ring or rim having a bearing-rib at itsinner face, presenting a rounded bearing-face, the sides provided attheir inner faces with annular bearing-ribs, an annular series ofbearing-balls interposed between the ribs, and partitions located atintervals and separating the balls into sets, substantially asdescribed.

3. A wheel comprisingahub, an inner bear ing-ring, spokes connecting theinner bearing-ring with the hub, an outer bearing-ring, sides connectedwith the outer bearing-ring and extending therefrom to the hub, thebearing-ribs arranged at the inner faces of the sides and at theopposite faces of the bearingrings, and balls interposed between andcontacting with the bearing-ribs,substantially as described.

4:. A Wheel comprising a hub having end sockets, a bearing-ringconnected with the hub and provided at its opposite faces with sockets,a rim arranged around the bearingring and spaced therefrom, sidesconnected with the rim and extending therefrom to the hub, ballsarranged within the space between the sides and interposed between thebearing-ring and the rim, the supplemental balls seated in the saidsockets, and the apertured plates secured to the bearing-ring and thehub and retaining the balls in the sockets, substantially as described.

5. A wheel comprisinga hub, an iunerbearing-ring, an outer bearing-ring,balls interposed between the bearing-rings, means for connecting theinner bearing-ring with the hub, and sides connected with the outerbearing-ring and having antifriction devices interposed between them andthe hub and the inner bearing-ring,substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixedmy signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

FREDERICK P. VAUGHAN.

Witnesses:

G. W. CROSBY, P. R. AMOS.

